BASF's Freeport facility wins Texas Chemical Council safety award
Site honored by trade association for outstanding safety performance

FREEPORT, Texas, August 12, 2004 -- BASF's Freeport site has been recognized by the Texas Chemical Council (TCC) as a winner of the organization's 2003 "Occupational Safety Distinguished Service Award."

BASF was one of only five companies in its category (500 employees and above) that qualified for the award, which the company has earned in four of the past five years.

The objective of the annual TCC Safety Awards Program is to promote the continual improvement of safety performance by TCC member companies. The program is intended to achieve this objective by providing recognition for TCC member facilities who, during the previous calendar year, have both achieved exemplary results and demonstrated commitment to safe operations through implementation of TCC supported safety-related programs.

During 2003, BASF's Freeport site used a number of unique approaches to "spreading the word" about the importance of occupational safety. Employees at the site's hydroxylamine unit used game show formats such as "Who Wants To Be A Safety Millionaire," '"Safety Rule Jeopardy," and the "Safety Wheel of Fortune" in its employee training programs. The result was 100 percent employee participation. Employees at the site also met with local students on Earth Day in April to discuss how safety is important to the protection of the environment and community.

The number of injuries and illnesses at the Freeport site in 2003 was 44 percent less than the previous year.

"We are very proud of our site's safety programs and the results that have been achieved," said Art Colwell, Vice President and General Manager of BASF's Freeport site. "We are committed not only to making products better but to doing so in a safe and responsible fashion."

Founded in 1953, the TCC is a statewide, 82-member trade association representing more than 90 percent of chemical manufacturers within Texas.

BASF's Freeport site employs almost 700 employees and 350 contractors and produces chemicals that are used in a wide range of product applications including adhesives, superabsorbers, paints and coatings, nylon and plastics.

BASF - The Chemical Company. We don't make a lot of the products you buy. We make a lot of the products you buy better.®
BASF Corporation, headquartered in New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF AG, Ludwigshafen, Germany. We employ about 11,000 people in North America and had sales of approximately $9 billion in 2003. For more information about BASF's North American operations, or to sign up to receive news releases by e-mail, visit www.basf.com/usa.

BASF is the world's leading chemical company. Our goal is to grow profitably and further increase the value of our company. We help our customers to be more successful through intelligent system solutions and high-quality products. BASF's portfolio ranges from chemicals, plastics, performance products, agricultural products and fine chemicals to crude oil and natural gas. Through new technologies we can tap into additional market opportunities. We conduct our business in accordance with the principles of sustainable development. In 2003, BASF had sales of approximately $42 billion and over 87,000 employees worldwide. Further information on BASF is available on the Internet at www.basf.com.

For more information, contact:
Sharon Rogers
BASF
Freeport, Texas
Tel: (979) 415-6273
E-mail: rogerssh@basf.com

Glenn Majeski
BASF
Mount Olive, N.J.
Tel: (973) 426-2848
E-mail: majeskg@basf.com